systems

A Little Rock-based solar manufacturer Scenic Hill Solar On Thursday (Nov. 10), Made in America announced an initiative with several US-based solar array equipment manufacturers to promote the production of solar array components. The head of the company said that the new initiative is expected to lead to a $30 million solar plant project.

American Made, Arkansas Built is comprised of Scenic Hill Solar, solar inverter maker Yaskawa Solectria Solar, serial tracking technology company Nextracker, steel pipe maker Zekelman Industries and lithium-ion battery maker KORE Power Inc.

“We’re pushing for an American-led renewable energy system, starting in Arkansas,” said Bill Halter, CEO of Scenic Hill Solar. “The solar industry started in the US but then moved overseas. We are partnering with these leading companies to bring the industry back to America by focusing on innovation and collaboration between leading American manufacturers of solar equipment and batteries.”

The initiative with solar array equipment manufacturers is expected to lead to a $30 million solar plant project that includes battery storage, Halter said. He declined to provide further details as he is still working on the project.

The initiative is expected to encourage more manufacturing of solar array components in the U.S. and make the arrays better through partnerships with companies in the initiative, he said.

Participating companies will use the Scenic Hill Solar arrays as testing labs, demonstration facilities and collaboration opportunities, according to the news release. Halter noted that some of the arrays are existing facilities with company-supplied components, while others have yet to be built and will include company-supplied components. The arrays will work for Scenic Hill Solar customers.

“A vibrant base of renewable energy producers in the U.S. ensures greater energy independence, strengthens America’s national security, mitigates disruption to the global supply chain caused by COVID-19, and maximizes economic development opportunities for Americans with the rapid growth of renewable energy.” Halter said.

Scenic Hill Solar will purchase American-made components of its solar arrays when available; however, he said not all array components are American-made. But the initiative is expected to close gaps in the availability of US-made parts.

“As a leading US designer and manufacturer of PV inverters and other top-of-the-line components, Yaskawa Solectria Solar is proud to partner with Scenic Hill Solar,” said general manager Mark Goodreau. “We look forward to working closely with the Scenic Hill Solar team on the exciting opportunities ahead.”

Yaskawa Solectria Solar is a subsidiary of Lawrence, Mass.-based Yaskawa America Inc., with manufacturing facilities in Buffalo Grove, Ill., and Oak Creek, Wis.

“By opening three new factories in the United States this year, I can attest to the excellent manufacturing talent built in American cities,” said Nextracker CEO Dan Shugar. “We are on the cusp of a manufacturing renaissance in the United States, especially with the domestic manufacturing incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act. We are excited to partner with the American Made, Arkansas Built initiative, putting Americans to work to create products that safely power our homes and businesses for the future.”

Barry Zekelman, chairman and CEO of Zekelman Industries, said US-based companies must provide components for US solar infrastructure.

“With continued investment in existing and new factories, we are well positioned to support this initiative,” said Zekelman. “Blytheville, Ark., USA. and others, our new facilities are among the cleanest steel pipe and tube manufacturing facilities in the world and are ready to provide the highest quality steel torque pipe, screw piles and pipe stacks for utilities. solar installations”.

KORE Power is working on onshore battery cell production and commercialization of locally produced energy storage systems.

“This American-made, built-in-Arkansas initiative aligns with our vision for a local, clean energy supply chain,” said Jay Bellows, president of KORE Power. “We look forward to joining the next generation of America’s renewable energy companies working together to ensure a safe, clean and reliable energy future.”

Halter said he expects more companies to join the initiative and provide American-made products for projects associated with the initiative. He noted that US-based solar panel maker First Solar is a supporter of the initiative, but that it is not participating because the public company has raised concerns. He added that First Solar’s equipment will be used in the Scenic Hill Solar projects associated with the initiative, but supply is limited because the company has been sold for two years.

“At First Solar, we believe the nation’s energy transition can be powered by American ingenuity and innovation,” said Georges Antoine, First Solar’s chief commercial officer. “Scenic Hill’s effort to identify key elements of this internal value chain demonstrates that this potential can be realized.”

When Christ Episcopal Church’s “Earth Team” began meeting last year, members explored different ideas about projects that benefit the environment.

From food sustainability to glass recycling to solar power, “the list of ideas grew,” said attendee Hap Ridgway. “The theme of the sun immediately rose to the top as something effective.”

About a year later, in mid-October, the solar plan came to fruition when a crew from CE Solar installed 22 solar panels on the south-facing slope of the church roof. The church’s rector, the Rev. Mary Caucutt, said the system was connected to the city’s system on Monday, Oct. 17.

“Renewable energy is a way to become better stewards of God’s good creation,” he said. “I’m very happy that the solar panels will offset our electricity use.”

Earth Team has raised $44,000 for the project, which will pay for itself over 18 to 22 years, Caucutt said. That break-even point occurs at the end of the panels’ life, when they begin to operate less efficiently.

He participated in the formation of the Earth Team during the fall of 2022, the annual Ministry Fair, which featured various programs of the church. “Mary wanted something about the environment because ‘it’s about creation,'” Ridgway said.

The group sponsored a series of community dinner programs during Lent last spring, and one of the first speakers, a representative from CE Solar, spoke about solar renewable energy. After studying the church’s location and electrical bills, the company offered 22 panels for the roof.

“Then it was a matter of raising money,” Ridgway said.

The church donated $20,000 of its endowment as a challenge grant, and the vestry chipped in $4,000, Caucutt said. “Amazingly, we raised the money in 5-6 weeks,” he said.

Ridgway estimated that about 45 people have donated to the cause, including “very small gifts.” “It really made me happy. It was heartwarming, so much support.

“More people are interested in the landscape.”

Among the benefits, based on a preliminary calculation of the 27 panels, would be 17,700 kilowatt hours of production, requiring 15,000 pounds of coal, and keeping 23,100 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, or the equivalent of about 300 carbon sinks. trees, Ridgway said.

“The trick is net metering,” Caucutt said.

If the solar system produces more than it needs, the excess feeds into the grid and becomes a loan it can draw on if the system can’t meet demand. “The network is becoming our battery,” he said.

In an annual accounting report on Dec. 31, the city of Cody will finalize the input and withdrawal, pay 10 cents on the dollar for any excess and reset the account, Caucutt said. However, in theory, the array of solar panels is designed so that there will be no credit at the end of the year, he noted.

Another issue was the placement of the panels. Although lower locations are available, Caucutt said, the church chose the most efficient location — the roof. It also overlooks the most visible, the Yellowstone Highway and its heavy summer traffic.

“Rather than hiding our light under a bushel, we wanted to share the good news about solar energy,” he said, “we can let the sun shine through the roof. It’s a way to encourage others to be better stewards.”

Ridgway added that Earth Team is showing how people can help the environment through data programs and the solar project.

“Everything we’ve learned over the past year, from the national news to what we’ve seen with our own eyes in northwest Wyoming, tells us that extremes and the pace of climate change are worse than predicted.” he said. “Anything we can do as individuals or as small groups like churches or communities like Cody to reduce our carbon footprint will help.”

Tennessee has a lack of solar policy, and since 2019, hydro development has been relatively dead. While distributed rooftop solar has little support, corporate-backed utility-scale solar is expected to rise.

November 8, 2022 Ryan Kennedy

Tennessee is home to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), a state-owned utility that is famous for leading historic court cases against the deployment of clean energy. There is a clear lack of support for distributed rooftop solar for small and medium businesses and homeowners. Instead, the state’s small solar exposure is largely characterized by large-scale projects built for corporations to achieve environmental and social governance (ESG) goals.

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) serves 10 million people across 80,000 square miles of the southeastern United States, beyond its state borders. The company has stated that it aims to have up to 10 GW of solar power by 2035 and more than 200,000 EVs on the road by 2028. The utility expects to have approximately 2.8 GW of solar power at TVA by 2024.

Image: UNTIL

However, the company’s 2021 sustainability report disclosures state that TVA only has 1 MW of operating solar capacity and no wind assets as of the 2021 fiscal year report. Instead, TVA’s developers are acting as owner-operators so that they can access the federal investment tax credit incentive, an option that TVA as a government entity does not have access to.

While TVA will issue a request for proposals (RFP) this summer for up to 5 GW of new clean power, much of that is expected to be nuclear and hydropower, which already make up a large portion of the utility’s asset base. TVA currently has 5.38 GW of renewable energy capacity, almost all of which is hydro.

(Read: “Court challenges TVA’s anti-solar ‘never-ending contracts’ with utility customers”)

TVA generation mix.

TVA said its Green Invest program has led to nearly $3 billion in solar investment since 2018. A big driver of growth in this program is contracts with large corporations such as Google, Meta (Facebook) and others.

Overall, Tennessee has 608 MW of installed solar capacity by the second quarter of 2022, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). More than 4,000 people are employed in solar energy in the state and $918 million has been invested in solar energy in the state. .

Incentives

Tennessee is doing little to support the deployment of distributed, rooftop solar, which is seen as a solution for increasing grid resiliency, improving environmental impacts and bill savings for individuals and small businesses.

Currently, the state does not offer net metering or excess solar production buybacks, which are often critical to the economics of rooftop solar. There are also no standardized rules for connecting the roofing system to the electrical grid. TVA instead offers a program called dual metering, which is explained in the graphic below.

Photo: TVA

Tennessee has a solar law that protects a homeowner’s right to open access to the sun on their roof, preventing others from building structures that shade the panels.

While most states allow solar energy to be exempt from property taxes, they instead limit the amount that can be taxed. For tax purposes, your property’s assessed value increase cannot exceed 12.5% ​​of your installed solar costs. It also exempts sales taxes on equipment and materials purchased by commercial and industrial customers.

Most support for solar power will be found at the federal level. Investment Tax Credit (ITC) has been extended only for long term and direct payment provision has been added. ITC provides a 30% credit towards the cost of the installed system.

Landmark project

The 150 MW Elora Solar project, led by NextEra Energy Resources, marks one of the largest solar installations in the state. The project went into commercial operation in May 2022. The 500,000 panel system took 17 months to build and created around 250 jobs.

The project partnered with Facebook to power Meta’s data center operations in Huntsville, Tennessee, northwest of Knoxville.

“TVA is building a greener future that leaves no one behind in the new clean energy economy,” said Doug Perry, TVA senior vice president of commercial energy solutions. “This public-private relationship demonstrates the power of TVA’s community energy model to attract high-quality jobs to the communities we serve while helping businesses meet their sustainability goals.”

The next one

pv magazine last stopped by Kentucky to explore the landscape of solar power installations, and we’ll be traveling to Alabama next.

This content is copyrighted and may not be reused. If you would like to collaborate with us and reuse some of our content, please contact: [email protected].

The cost of solar equipment is generally calculated by comparing dollars per watt. Getty Images/iStockphoto

Americans are bracing for expensive energy bills this winter — President Biden has even offered billions of dollars in aid as the economy faces high inflation.

Families can use smart home technologies and lock doors, seal cracks, remove air conditioners, and more. As we look for ways to reduce energy costs through best practices like

In short, solar panels help convert sunlight into electricity.

“Solar technologies convert sunlight into electricity through photovoltaic (PV) panels or mirrors that concentrate solar radiation. This energy can be used to generate electricity or stored in batteries or thermal storage,” – Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Administration ( EERE) describes.

Sounds good, right? If you want to learn more about solar panels or how to use solar energy, contact an expert for help. Click here to get a free quote from one of the best companies in the space.

What are 3 advantages of going to the sun?

Before you take the plunge and completely change your habits, you probably want to know more about solar energy and why more families are starting to incorporate it into their lifestyles.

Here are three compelling reasons to go solar today:

The cost of using solar energy has fallen
Save energy costs
Reduce your carbon footprint

The cost of using solar energy has fallen

At one point, cost was the main reason homeowners hesitated to install solar panels. However, times have changed – and prices have been falling for years. EERE says the cost of solar power is falling every year.

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), solar installation costs have fallen by more than 60% in the past decade. Solar power isn’t just popular in sunny states like California or Florida. States across the country have started using solar energy.

The cost of solar equipment is generally calculated by comparing dollars per watt.

“The average residential system has fallen from $40,000 in 2010 to about $20,000 today, with recent utility prices ranging from $16/MWh to $35/MWh, competitive with all other forms of generation.” SEIA explains online. This total cost does not take into account the tax incentives associated with using solar energy.

Price may vary depending on your location and needs. Enter your zip code and get a quote.

Save energy costs

Another major reason to go solar is to save on energy costs. According to the National Association of Energy Assistance Directors, the typical cost to heat a home this winter will increase 18% — to about $1,208, hitting lower-income households harder.

Although you will have to spend money to install and properly install solar panels, you should see a significant difference in your utility bills by going green.

Community solar can lead to bill savings of 5% to 25%, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) 2021 report, Sharing the Sun: Community Solar Deployment, Subscription Savings, and Energy Load Reduction.

EnergySage, a Boston-based solar energy company, estimates that most solar users can save between $10,000 and $30,000 over the life of their solar system.

Total savings depend on your location (the amount of sunlight available), the type of solar energy system you use, the amount of electricity you use, the size of your home, whether you bought or leased your system, your local utility, and more. Take a look at your utility bill. Then consider how many watts your household uses to determine potential savings.

Reduce your carbon footprint

Apart from the many benefits that solar energy will provide you financially, it will also benefit the planet.

“Each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of solar energy produced will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions such as CO2, as well as other hazardous pollutants such as sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. Solar energy also reduces water consumption and withdrawal,” – US Energy The department provides information online.

MoneyWatch: Managing Your Money

More More

The solar revolution continues successfully. The cost of solar power has been falling sharply for years and is now the cheapest form of new electricity generation in many markets, including 16 US states, Spain, Italy and India, according to energy research and consulting firm Wood Mackenzie. Even during the pandemic, solar development remained strong. In 2020, global solar installations exceeded 115 gigawatts (GW). Although the price of solar panels increased last year, the cost of solar energy still managed to fall in 2021. While solar expansion continues to grow at increasingly competitive rates, it has not been fast enough or serious enough. The growth trajectory required to achieve the decarbonisation targets set by the Paris Agreement in 2015. Instead, the renewed revolution was met by a massive and seemingly immobile force of inertia.

In addition to the pushback from powerful fossil fuel lobbies and their allies, the current energy system already invests heavily in fossil fuels, and continuing to operate a coal- or gas-fired plant is often much, much cheaper than building new solar infrastructure. may be new infrastructure. In addition, “There is a lot of inertia in the system because of long-term contracts between utilities, power producers and mining companies,” Popular Science reported last year. “And since the country’s total energy use isn’t growing that much each year, there’s not much incentive to build new renewables.”

In order to break all this internal inertia, the global economy had to deliver a major shock to the system. Now we have it. The double whammy of the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine sent shockwaves through the global economy, throwing energy markets into turmoil and scrambling for alternatives to Russian exports to keep the lights on and restore energy security. And many have set their eyes on the sun to do it.

Related: Low prices and tanker traffic keep $2 billion worth of LNG out of Europe

In Europe, 18 of the 27 European Union countries set new records for solar power generation between May and August this year, and the bloc is set to see an average annual increase of between 45 GW and 52 GW by 2030 – a huge increase. compared to pre-occupation projections. In the United States, the Inflation Reduction Act offered major tax incentives for clean energy development, and solar investment is increasing in response. Consulting titan McKinsey predicts that global renewable electricity capacity will almost triple between 2021 and 2030 to 8,800 gigawatts. The vast majority of this will come from onshore wind and solar.

While incentives and investment are available, the renewable revolution faces three major obstacles as it continues to expand at a rapid pace: land, permits and energy grids.

Soil can be the biggest of these problems. “Utility-scale solar and wind farms require at least ten times more land per unit of energy than coal- or natural gas-fired power plants, including the land used to produce and transport the fossil fuel,” warns Mckenzie. solar investors. Indeed, the expansion of renewable energy is already embroiled in land-use battles across the country, as projects are often developed in rural states that are often deep red and devoted to fossil fuels. A “sinister” battle is currently underway in Indiana, where a solar farm roughly the size of Manhattan is in the works.

Expansion is also hampered by “long, unpredictable development rules” beyond developers’ control, McKinsey says. Permitting is a daunting process, as legislation often changes to match the kinds of public outrage that emerges in response to land use issues. As a result, permits for utility-scale solar and wind farms can often take up to ten years. 31 states have already passed ordinances limiting renewable expansion.

Finally, increasing network congestion poses a major threat. The energy grid infrastructure in the US is aging and will need major infrastructure investments to accelerate it. Our grid system is now not smart or flexible enough to handle the dynamic and changing nature of massive reliance on renewables. This will require a huge increase in energy storage technologies. “Because the stability of the electricity grid depends on predictability and the balance of supply and demand, the US grid cannot always integrate all new wind and solar power immediately,” McKinsey reports. This means that completed solar projects often have to wait months before they can be connected to the grid. Moreover, the urban areas most in need of energy are often far from the rural areas where this large amount of clean energy will be produced, requiring large expansions of transmission lines to deliver power to end users.

While the rapid expansion of utility-scale solar and wind projects is a long overdue necessity to meet climate goals and avoid the most devastating impacts of climate change, there are some serious obstacles to consider. And that will require some major politics at a time when the country has never been more divided.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

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